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Series 1: Symmes H. Stillwell Civil War Papers, 1856-1920

1 box
Collection Creator:
Stillwell, Symmes Henry (1840-1934)
Dates:
1856-1920
Extent:
1 box
Languages:
English
Scope and Contents

The majority of Symmes H. Stillwell's Civil War papers is correspondence, which consists almost exclusively of letters from Stillwell to his mother, Hannah Stillwell. There are also a couple of letters from Stillwell to his brother, Daniel P. Stillwell, and his cousin, Peter R. Bergen. Other materials in the series include Stillwell's diaries that he kept during his service; documents; poems and song ballads written by Stillwell and others; and other Civil War-related materials, such as papers regarding Stillwell's war pension and ephemera relating to the Roanoke Associates, an organization for veterans of the Battle of Roanoke Island.

The papers in this series document Stillwell's experience and also provide information about the 9th New Jersey Volunteers. The letters, in particular, provide detailed descriptions and offer insight into various aspects of the war, such as camp life, battles, the aftermath of battles, widespread sickness amongst the troops, and the significant amount of travel undertaken by the 9th on land and on sea. They also reveal Stillwell's political leanings, his enthusiasm for the war (at least initially), his confidence in battle, and his opinions about African Americans, specifically black military regiments. For example, shortly after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued, Stillwell wrote to his mother: "...for my part, I consider the arming of negroes a confession of weakness, a folly, an insult to the brave Soldier, and a crime against humanity and civilization...I hope the time will come when the President will have to recall his proclamation."(March 8, 1863)

Arrangement

Arranged by genre of material.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Credit this material:

Series 1: Symmes H. Stillwell Civil War Papers; Symmes H. Stillwell Family Papers, C0492, Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Storage Note:
ReCAP - Remote Storage (rcpxm)
Box 1
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

Collection Overview

Collection Description & Creator Information

Scope and Contents

The majority of Symmes H. Stillwell's Civil War papers is correspondence, which consists almost exclusively of letters from Stillwell to his mother, Hannah Stillwell. There are also a couple of letters from Stillwell to his brother, Daniel P. Stillwell, and his cousin, Peter R. Bergen. Other materials in the series include Stillwell's diaries that he kept during his service; documents; poems and song ballads written by Stillwell and others; and other Civil War-related materials, such as papers regarding Stillwell's war pension and ephemera relating to the Roanoke Associates, an organization for veterans of the Battle of Roanoke Island.

The papers in this series document Stillwell's experience and also provide information about the 9th New Jersey Volunteers. The letters, in particular, provide detailed descriptions and offer insight into various aspects of the war, such as camp life, battles, the aftermath of battles, widespread sickness amongst the troops, and the significant amount of travel undertaken by the 9th on land and on sea. They also reveal Stillwell's political leanings, his enthusiasm for the war (at least initially), his confidence in battle, and his opinions about African Americans, specifically black military regiments. For example, shortly after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued, Stillwell wrote to his mother: "...for my part, I consider the arming of negroes a confession of weakness, a folly, an insult to the brave Soldier, and a crime against humanity and civilization...I hope the time will come when the President will have to recall his proclamation."(March 8, 1863)

Arrangement

Arranged by genre of material.

Collection History

Appraisal

No material was separated during 2014 processing.

Access & Use

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

Credit this material:

Series 1: Symmes H. Stillwell Civil War Papers; Symmes H. Stillwell Family Papers, C0492, Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Location:
Firestone Library
One Washington Road
Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
(609) 258-3184
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Storage Note:
ReCAP - Remote Storage (rcpxm)
Box 1

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Bibliography

McPherson, James M. For Cause and Comrades: Why Men Fought in the Civil War. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997.

Drake, J. Madison. The history of the 9th New Jersey Veteran Vols. A record of its service from Sept. 13th, 1861, to July 12th, 1865, with a complete official roster, and sketches of prominent members. Elizabeth: Journal Printing House, 1889. Verter, Bradford. "Disconsolations of a Jersey Muskrat: The Civil War Letters of Symmes H. Stillwell." Princeton University Library Chronicle 58 no. 2, Winter 1997.

Names:
United States. Army
United States. Army. New Jersey Infantry Regiment, 9th (1861-1865)
Roanoke Associates
Stillwell family